Best DVC if not going to the parks...............

[DenLo]

My wife and I do that also.

We like to hang out at the different resorts and taking in the experiences.

(Perhaps if the DVC made the park tickets more afordable for it's memebrs, we might visit the parks more often during our stay). Are you listening DVC??

Would it be worth it to you to have your annual dues increase to pay for the discounted tickets? The DVC does not have the right to discount park tickets. They have to buy them from WDW. WDW has no incentive to give us discounted tickets as we are a captive audience, the temptation is great and we (in general) often succumb.

 

[TLPL]

Vero Beach is best DVC resort for just-resort-vacation. No crowd, still have lots of Disney quality/ magical touch.

 

[patmcg]

Would it be worth it to you to have your annual dues increase to pay for the discounted tickets? The DVC does not have the right to discount park tickets. They have to buy them from WDW. WDW has no incentive to give us discounted tickets as we are a captive audience, the temptation is great and we (in general) often succumb.

First let me preface this by stating that my wife and I have been coming to WDW nearly every year since we first stepped foot into the Polynesian Resort in 1975. We happen to love WDW. And we’ve been DVC members since 1993. Ask any of our family and friends and they will know of our tremendous fondness for “The happiest place on this earth”.

I certainly would not advocate for a moment an unnecessary increase in dues for the mere purpose of discounted Park tickets; that would be defeating the purpose all together.

However, I do believe that WDW in general, the parks, in particular would benefit if they provided an added incentive to DVC and its members in the form of a discounted program for Park Passes other than just the Annual Pass. I believe it would encourage DVC members to visit the Parks more often (myself included). WDW would soon see the positive financial return and at no cost to WDW, the DVC or its members. It would be a win-win for everyone.

Although I would very much like to, we do not visit WDW often enough during a given year to make the annual pass worth our while.

As you know, the WDW Parks do not make any money from their guests, if the guests are spending more of their time and money at the Resorts or for that matter off property all together. For example we all know how ridiculously priced the restaurants are in the Parks, but yet we somehow justify the expense and happily eat at them.

Except for those individuals who purchase annual passes (which is a great deal) how many of the Park guests determine which Parks they wish to visit by the restaurant choices available to them.

I have often noted that WDW’s marketing is amazing in that WDW marketing actually creates such a demand for eating at its restaurants that guests will actually want to purchase park tickets so that they can have the opportunity to spend more money at a Park restaurant. It’s sheer genius.

However, as you astutely point out, we are a captive audience and WDW and DVC knows that all too well. And over the years I have seen dues rise and perks diminish and instead of rewarding us and showing us “genuine” signs of appreciation, not just a token Member Wednesday, it seems more and more that we DVCer’s are all being taken for granted.

The DVC concept is a great revenue maker for WDW, which is why they can’t build them fast enough. DVC makes money from its members whether or not we actually visit the World at all. But sometime soon the guest will have to wake up and tell WDW and DVC that we are really partners in all this growth and ask “What is in it for us? Where is the “real” loyalty payback”?

The fewer and fewer rewards that come back to the members, the more we will have to recognized that we may as well be regular resort guests. The “Magic” would then soon fall off the DVC concept.

God willing, my wife and I will continue to visit WDW every year as we have been doing for so many years, but we will spend more of our time and money at the resorts and less time and money in the Parks.

 

[dizfan]

First let me preface this by stating that my wife and I have been coming to WDW nearly every year since we first stepped foot into the Polynesian Resort in 1975. We happen to love WDW. And we’ve been DVC members since 1993. Ask any of our family and friends and they will know of our tremendous fondness for “The happiest place on this earth”.

I certainly would not advocate for a moment an unnecessary increase in dues for the mere purpose of discounted Park tickets; that would be defeating the purpose all together.

However, I do believe that WDW in general, the parks, in particular would benefit if they provided an added incentive to DVC and its members in the form of a discounted program for Park Passes other than just the Annual Pass. I believe it would encourage DVC members to visit the Parks more often (myself included). WDW would soon see the positive financial return and at no cost to WDW, the DVC or its members. It would be a win-win for everyone.

Although I would very much like to, we do not visit WDW often enough during a given year to make the annual pass worth our while.

As you know, the WDW Parks do not make any money from their guests, if the guests are spending more of their time and money at the Resorts or for that matter off property all together. For example we all know how ridiculously priced the restaurants are in the Parks, but yet we somehow justify the expense and happily eat at them.

Except for those individuals who purchase annual passes (which is a great deal) how many of the Park guests determine which Parks they wish to visit by the restaurant choices available to them.

I have often noted that WDW’s marketing is amazing in that WDW marketing actually creates such a demand for eating at its restaurants that guests will actually want to purchase park tickets so that they can have the opportunity to spend more money at a Park restaurant. It’s sheer genius.

However, as you astutely point out, we are a captive audience and WDW and DVC knows that all too well. And over the years I have seen dues rise and perks diminish and instead of rewarding us and showing us “genuine” signs of appreciation, not just a token Member Wednesday, it seems more and more that we DVCer’s are all being taken for granted.

The DVC concept is a great revenue maker for WDW, which is why they can’t build them fast enough. DVC makes money from its members whether or not we actually visit the World at all. But sometime soon the guest will have to wake up and tell WDW and DVC that we are really partners in all this growth and ask “What is in it for us? Where is the “real” loyalty payback”?

The fewer and fewer rewards that come back to the members, the more we will have to recognized that we may as well be regular resort guests. The “Magic” would then soon fall off the DVC concept.

God willing, my wife and I will continue to visit WDW every year as we have been doing for so many years, but we will spend more of our time and money at the resorts and less time and money in the Parks.

We visit once a year (technically twice within just under 12 months). However, we take advantage of the DVC AP discount and also buy the TIW to get the discount. For example, most times we will plan mid-October one year and early October the next. This allows our AP to be used for both trips. The TIW allows us to save on dining and drinks during the two trips. We break even on the first trip. The second trip, we come out way ahead.

Another tip we've heard, is to buy a 10 day no expiration pass. This allows the pass to be used for several trips. A 7 day trip where you only spend 5 days in the parks allows the pass to be used for 2 trips. If it has the water parks option, you also several days at the water parks.

We live near many water parks, so we tend not to go to Disney's. For us the AP approach works best.

 

[dbs1228]

I agree with Patmgc as far as discounting park hopper passes and can see myself and DH not even stepping foot into the parks on some visits due to the cost of the tickets. When we do go to the parks we spend money, when we don't we eat in the room or go off site most of the time.

 

[Conan the Librarian]

DVC without going to a park?

No question, Hilton Head!

 

[bonrea]

THV. The Tree House Villas are secluded, one can park right at the house, have friends join you with the extra space. They are away from the parks and the noise like other resorts, and are a short drive to anything you may want to do off property. The Disney busses also go there so one can go to anything Disney also. The road ways through the resort is also a nice walk in the off season.

 

[patmcg]

We visit once a year (technically twice within just under 12 months). However, we take advantage of the DVC AP discount and also buy the TIW to get the discount. For example, most times we will plan mid-October one year and early October the next. This allows our AP to be used for both trips. The TIW allows us to save on dining and drinks during the two trips. We break even on the first trip. The second trip, we come out way ahead.

Another tip we've heard, is to buy a 10 day no expiration pass. This allows the pass to be used for several trips. A 7 day trip where you only spend 5 days in the parks allows the pass to be used for 2 trips. If it has the water parks option, you also several days at the water parks.

We live near many water parks, so we tend not to go to Disney's. For us the AP approach works best.

Thank you Dizfan.

I will follow your recommendations.

The upfront costs will be high, but as you indicate the benefits will outway the cost in not too much time.

Heck, now I may have more of an excuse to visit more often.

 

[IluvXU]

Vero Beach is best DVC resort for just-resort-vacation. No crowd, still have lots of Disney quality/ magical touch.

Totally agree. We went on our first DVC trip last week... 5 nights at Vero and 4 at the BC. We only went to MK one day and had the best trip ever! In fact we were sad to leave Vero and head to Orlando!

 

[Brancaneve]

My wife and I do that also.

We like to hang out at the different resorts and taking in the experiences.

(Perhaps if the DVC made the park tickets more afordable for it's memebrs, we might visit the parks more often during our stay). Are you listening DVC??

 

[NewDCLGuy]

We do a lot of non-park *days*, though not full trips without parks. We were amazed at how many activities there are at AKV, especially for kids. For families with children, it would be by far my first choice for a non-park resort. For just adults, I don't notice as much of a difference. As mentioned, BCV/BWV are nice - you can walk around the lake, clubs at night, fireworks, and many nice restaurnats (though a shocking lack of quick service food.) Nobody has mentioned VWL, another of our favorites. The boat trips are the wonderful, there are activities both at the Lodge and over in the Campground, plus you've got reasonable access to the monorail resorts.

On the ticket issue, we do 10-day non expires with waterpark. They last us for years!